Glassware washer and sterilizer



March 25,1941. c w JQHNSQN 2,235,885

. GLASSWARE WASHER AND STERILIZER Filed July 29, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Do 0 g 14 ifl/d/ 14 L R 3 Aiiorneps Patented Mar. 25, 1941 GLASSWAREWASHER AND STERILIZER Carl W. Johnson, Minneapolis, Minn" assignor toAmerican Glass Sterilizer Corporation, Minneapolil, Minn, a corporationoi. Minnesota Application July 29, 1937, Serial No. 156,341

2 Claims.

My invention relates to apparatus for washing and sterilizing glasswareand particularly to cabinet type apparatus for acting on a plurality ofunits of glassware at one time. I

In many establishments, such as, for example, commercial establishmentswherein beverages are dispensed, considerable quantities of glassware,such as beverage glasses and the like, must be washed and sterilized andsuch washing and sterilizing must be done quickly and yet thoroughly andefiectively.

A general object of my invention is to provide apparatus adapted forrapid and convenient manipulation to thoroughly and eilectively wash anda sterilize a substantial quantity of glassware at one time.

a more specific object is to provide such apparatus including a closablecabinet containing supporting means for glassware and means for of- 20iectively spraying both the interiors and exteriors oi" the glasswareselectively with hot and cold water and steam.

another object is to provide such apparatus having a particularlycompact and quickly and conveniently operatable door structure.

Still another object is to provide such apparatus having particularlyeflective spraying means.

it further object is to provide such apparatus or simple, compact,rugged, light and inexpensive construction and adapted for rapid andeasy installation.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will more fullyappear from the following description made in connection with theaccompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to thesame or similar parts throughout the views, and, in which:

Fig. 1 is a partially broken away top view of an embodiment oi myinvention with the doors thereof in open position;

Fig, 2 is a front view;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line i t oi Fig. 2 asindicated by the arrows;

Fig. t is a sectional view taken along the line li it of Fig. l asindicated by the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line i---i of Fig. l. asindicated by the arrows;

Fig. 6 is a detail view;

Fig. I! is a partially sectional side view of one or the spray units ofmy apparatus;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line t-t of Fig. '7 asindicated by the arrows;

Fig. ii is a sectional view taken along the line 9-t of Fig. '7 asindicated by the arrows; and

Fig. 10 is a pipe connection diagram of the pipes in my apparatus.

Referring to the drawings, my glassware washing and sterilizing deviceincludes a casing or cabinet C of inverted U-shaped cross sections,

and, when viewed from above, of rectangular shape. The casing C has afloor II at the lower side thereof suitably sealed to the side walls ofthe casing, The forward side of the casing C is open with the exceptionof the lowermost part thereof, and this open side is provided withsuitable closure means.

A door I2 is provided for theupphr portion of the open side of thecabinet 0. This door I! is of arcuate shape having a curvaturecorresponding to the curvature of the U-shape of the cabinet C. The doorIt is carried by sector shaped elements i3 and is secured to the curvededge portions of the sector shaped elements iii. The sector shapedelements i3 are located at the respective ends of the door i2 andcabinet C, and are connected to the end walls of the cabinet C by meansof pivot elements It concentrically located relative to the curvedportion of the cabinet C. The sector shaped elements it have a portionthereof extending beyond the pivot elements it and the door l2 andadapted for use as lever arms like. The upper end oi the door it isformed into a reversely turned element Ilia. which engages a resilientstrip it contained within a channel formed by a reversely turned portionit of the cabinet 0. The lower end of the door it is bent to form a beadlib. A plate ii is secured to the inner side of the door it to act as abrace. it handle or lmob it is secured to the outer side of the lowerportion of the door it. The door it may he swung upwardly and rearwardlyon the pivot elements it to dispose the door within the curved rearportion or the cabinet C.

The lower portion of the open side of the cabinet C is provided with adoor it, this door it being rectangular in shape and being hinged at itslower edge to the lower portion of the cabinet C. It should be apparentthat the door is is swingable forwardly and downwardly to the openposition thereof. The upper edge portion of the door I9 is bent to forma channel element its for receiving the bead I211 on the lower edge ofthe first described door it. A pair of links 20 are provided. Each linkis associated with one of the sector shaped elements l3 and is pivotallyconnected at its inner end of the lever arm portion of the associatedsector shaped element H3, The remaining or forward end of each of thelinks 20 is pivotally connected to a lug or ear l9b mounted till on andprojecting inwardly from the lower portion of the door [9 a shortdistance above the lower edge thereof. By means of the link 20 raisingof the knob E8 to open the upper door I2 is accompanied by movement ofthe lower door I9 outwardly and downwardly to its open position. Also,of course, closing of one of the doors I2 and i9 will be accompanied byclosing of the other door. The vertical edge portions at the respectiveends of the door l9 are bent inwardly to form sealing flanges I whichare received in channels formed in complementary elements l9d secured tothe end portions of the cabinet C as shown in Figure 6.

A reticulated platform 2! is provided in the lower portion of thecabinet C parallel to and spaced a moderate distance above the floor llof the cabinet C. The platform 25 is raised in a plurality of places toform glass locating elements Zia, each of which is cut away to form agrating like structure and each of which is centrally aper tured. Thereticulated platform 29 is, of course, suitably secured to the cabinet Cto derive support therefrom. A conduit 22 is disposed under and extendsalong each row of glass locating elements Zia and each of the conduits22 is provided with upwardly directed spray means beneath each of theglass receiving elements lilo associated therewith. The conduits 22 areconnected together by other conduits 23 extending in a direction fromfront to rear of cabinet C. An upper conduit 2 is ("posed in the upperportion of the cabinet C and extends longitudinally thereof. Ihe upperconduit is provided in its lower side with a series of apertures suitedfor directing jets of liquid downwardly on the exteriors of glassesdisposed on the reticulated platform H. The upper conduit 24 isconnected to the conduits 23 by suitable generally vertical conduits 25.

As previously mentioned, upwardly directed spraying means is provided onthe conduits 22 beneath the respective glass locating elements Zia. Ateach of the locations of such spraying means a vertically disposedheaded pivot screw 26 is mounted on the conduit 22. A liquid directingelement or member 21, shown in detail in Figures 7, 8 and 9, is mountedon the screw 26 to be retained thereon by means of the head of the screw2G, and to be rotatable about a vertical axis. The liquid directingrotatable members 21 are of downwardly tapered or invertedfrusto-conical shape. The conduit 22 is provided with apertures ororifices 22a situated just outside the limits of the lower portion ofthe periphery of the member 21. These apertures 22a are adapted, whenthe conduit 22 is filled with liquid under pressure, to project jets ofliquid upwardly against the periphery of the member 2i. The member 21 isshaped in its peripheral portion to present angularly disposed surfacesadapted to be impinged upon by jets of liquid issuing from the orifices22a in such manner that impingement of the jets of liquid on suchangularly disposed surfaces will act to cause rotation or spinning ofthe member 21. Such angularly disposed surfaces may be formed in variousways, and I have found it preferable to form such surfaces in a mannerto be described. I cut away the peripheral portion of the member 27 toform a circumferentially extending series of circumferential spacedgrooves or recesses 21a. Each of the recesses 21a is disposed at anangle to the vertical axis of the member 2? and so varies in depth thatthe portions of the member ,2! defining the inner limits of the recess21a are arwheel.

cuate in shape. Also the recess 27a is so tilted that the depth thereofat the side thereof defined by a generally downwardly facing surface isgreater than the depth at the side opposite. Such recesses 27a may beformed by applying a cutting or grinding wheel of small diameter anddisk shape to the member 21 at suitable points on the periphery thereof.Such wheel would be situated at an angle to'the vertical axis of themember 21 and at an angle to a radius of the member 21 at the point ofapplication of the It should be apparent that jets of liquid issuingfrom the orifices 22a and striking the member 2? will engage theangularly disposed generally downwardly facing surfaces partiallydefining the recesses Ella, and will act to cause rotation or spinningof the member 21. Also liquid striking the member 2? will be somewhatdeflected thereby. The liquid moving upwardly above the member 2? willbe in the form of a divergent whirling spray composed of relatively finedrops of liquid. Such spray will be delivered to the interior of aninverted glass disposed upon the glass locating element Zia and willreach all portions of the interior of the glass to thoroughly wash thesame. Steam delivered through the orifices 22a. will similarly reach allportions of the interior of a glass to thoroughly sterilize the same.

Means is provided for delivering hot water, cold water, or steam to theconduits 22, 23, 24. and 25 so that such fluids may be ejected from theorifices 22a and 24a. The plumbing connections for such supply arediagrammatically shown in Figure 10 and are as follows:

Pipes 228 and 29 are provided for connections respectively to sources ofhot and cold water under pressure. The hot water pipe 28 runs to theinlet of a super-heater or boiler B contained in a casing 38 secured toone end of the'main casing C. The outlet of the boiler B is connectedthrough a pipe 35, a valve 32 and a pipe 33 to one of the conduits 22which, of course, is in communication through the conduits 23 with theremaining ones of the conduits 22 and through the conduits 25 with theupper conduit 2%. The cold water pipe is connected through a valve 34and a pipe 35 to one of the conduits 22. The handles of the valves 32and 3 3 are disposed in front of the casing C and the valves and pipeconnections associated therewith are housed in an auxiliary casing 36mounted on the front of the lower portion of the main casing or cabinetC. Obviously the valves 32 and 35 may be separated to deliver hot waterto the spray device by opening valve 32 or to deliver cold water to thespray device for chilling the washed or sterilized glasses by openingvalve 34. Hot water supplied to the boiler B may be super-heated orconverted into steam by the boiler B.

The boiler B will preferably be an electrically heated type of boilerserviced through an electrical supply cord 3? through a switch 38.Conveniently mounted in the upper portion of the auxiliary casing 30 area thermostat 39 and wires 40. The thermostat 39 is associated with theboiler B so as to automatically control the application of the electriccurrent to the boiler in such manner as to maintain a substantiallyfixed temperature in the contents of the boiler B. The thermometer ll ismounted on the top of the auxiliary casing 30 with its bulb portion d pwithin an element 42 secured to the upper side of the boiler B and hencebeing in intimate 2,285,885 thernio relatlon with the boiler B and itscontents.

Means are provided for draining the moisture which will otherwiseaccumulate in the lower portion of the cabinet 0. For this purpose anoutlet fitting is provided. This outlet fitting, contained within theauxiliary casing 36, is in communication with the lower portion of thecabinet C and is adapted to be suitably connected to the sewer or otherplace suited for disposal oi. waste water. i V

The prevailing method of use of my device is as follows: The switch 38is kept closedv during the periods oi time when the device will be usedso that the temperature or the hot water supplied from a source thereofwill be raised to produce steam. The glasses to be washed and sterilizedare placed within the cabinet in inverted position, each glass beinglocated on the reticulated platform by means or the raised glass 10-cating elements 2m, the rims oi the glasses, of course, encircling theelements Zia. At first the hot water control valve is opened so-that hotwater and steam will be delivered to the interior and exterior of eachglass to thoroughly wash and sterilize the same. Then the cold watervalve 34 is gradually opened to temper the liquid with which the glassesare being sprayed after which the hot water valve 32 may be closed sothat only cold water will be delivered to the glasses to chill the sameas a final part of the operation. V

The above described embodiment of my invention has been built and put topractical use and has been found to be highly satisfactory.

It is apparent that I have invented a novel, compact, effective andeasily operated apparatusiior washing, sterilizing and chilling glasswarIt will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made inthe term, details and arrangement or the various parts without departingfrom the scope of my invention.

What is claimedis:

1. In a cabinet of inverted U-shaped cross section having one open side,an arcuate door for closing the upper portion of said open side andsituated within the limits of said cabinet, 5 brackets on said doorextending downwardly and rearwardly, beyond and being pivotally mountedat points concentric with the curved portion of said cabinet wherebysaid door may be swung between a normal position and a position justinwardly of the closed side oi! said cabinet, a door for closing thelower portion 01' the open side of said cabinet, said last mentioneddoor being hinged at its lower edge to said cabinet so as to beswingable outwardly, and links each pivotally connected at itsrespective ends to the lower end of one of said brackets and to saidlast mentioned door whereby said doors will open and close in unisonresponsive to force applied to open and close one thereof.

2. In a cabinet of inverted U-shaped cross section having one open side,an arcuate door for closing the upper portion of said open side.sector-shaped door-carrying members attached at their respective curvededges to said door and pivotally mounted adjacent their respective innercorners to points in said cabinet concentric with the curve of saidcross section so that said door may be shifted edgewise between itsclosed position' and a position within the closed side of said cabinet,a flat rectangular door for closing the lower portion of said open sideand being hinged at its lower edge to said cabinet so as to be swingableoutwardly and inwardly relative thereto between closed and openpositions, and a link pivotally connected at its respective ends to theinner corner of one of said sector shaped members and a suitable pointon said flat door whereby said respective doors will open and close inunison responsive to force applied to open and 0 close one thereof.

vCARL 'W. JOHNSON.

